About the Books

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A History of Hoima Catholic Diocese: Priestly and Religious Vocations

A History of Hoima Catholic Diocese: Priestly and Religious Vocations was written to commemorate Hoima Catholic Diocese Golden Jubilee (August 9, 1965 – August 9, 2015).

The book discusses the rapid growth of the vocations to the priesthood and religious in the last fifty years. It discusses and assesses the complex old missionary traditions that continue to shape Hoima Catholic Diocese.

The traditions are associated with the arrival in Uganda and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom of Missionaries of Africa, and more recent traditions of Holy Cross, Comboni, Apostles, and Spiritans in the primary and on-going evangelization found that are currently identifiable in Hoima Catholic Diocese.

The role of the indigenous religious congregations such Daughters of Mary (Bannabiikira) – Bwanda, Daughters of St Therese of the Child Jesus (Banyatereza), and Brothers of Christian Instruction in the evangelization process is highlighted.

The book explores the factors responsible for the uneven distribution of the priestly and religious vocations in the three Vicariates of Kibaale, Hoima and Masindi. In its fifty years, Hoima Catholic Diocese saw the rise of a non-Christian sect by Desteo Bisaka, a former Catholic.

The reader will also learn about the contributions of the first four Bishops of the diocese. The last chapter examines the new age and challenges that await the newest and fifth Bishop.

Martyrs and Unknown Christian Witnesses: Hoima Diocese and Beyond

This book was written to commemorate Hoima Catholic Diocese’s animation of the Solemnity of the Uganda Martyrs Celebrations which was marked at Namugongo Uganda Martyrs National Shrine on June 3, 2017.

The book extensively adds new research that has always been missing in the biographical lives of St Andrea Kaahwa (Andrew Kaggwa) and St Anatoli Kirigwaijo (Kirigwajjo) to already written sources, which old and new readers of the two martyrs will find inspiring.

The book also discusses in a fresh manner the origins, life, mission, death, and move to beatify the Servant of God – Sr Amedeo Byabali MD.

The book introduces for the first time in Uganda and the world, “Unknown Christian Witnesses” who until this time have been unknown to many Christians within Uganda and beyond due to lack of coherently written works about them. Two survived martyrdom: Denis Kerere Kamyuka (survived the Namugongo inferno on June 3, 1886). Kamyuka went on to marry and had 18 children, became a civil servant in the Buganda Kingdom, and died actively practicing his Catholic Faith. Augustino Kalema (Catechumen) survived death along with an unknown number of catechumens, the book calls “Unknown Martyrs of Bujuni” who were “martyred” at Bujuni Catholic Mission for attending catechetical instruction but who have been “totally” forgotten. Kalema had his ear lobe cut off and his eyes gorged out around 1895-1897.

The book also explores the witness of two Italian Comboni Missionaries (Fr Mario Poza and Fr Paulo Ponzi) who died on the same day at Kigumba Catholic Parish trying to save a Catechumen who had fallen in a garbage pit.

The book also introduces two missionary lady catechists (Mama Celicia and Mama Prudensiana) who took the Catholic Faith to West Nile before the Comboni Missionaries arrived there in 1910. Two catechists from Kasese Catholic Diocese (Gabriel Kamabu and John Baptist Muhindo) were killed by the Rwenzururu and Allied Democratic Forces Insurgents in 1965 and 1996 respectively. Gaudensia Turyaheebwa and Teresa Mbabazi (14 years) were killed for refusing to engage in works of darkness in 2004 and 2006 respectively.

Finally, the once rejected but exonerated Princess Clara Nalumansi killed on the orders of her step-brother King Mwanga of Buganda who killed the first Martyrs of Uganda on August 2, 1888 could become the first female martyr to be beatified in Uganda.